


Always Be My Angel

by robotrolecall



Series: The Three Fanfics Cornetto Trilogy [2]
Category: Hot Fuzz (2007), The Cornetto Trilogy
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, Falling In Love, Fluff, Gay, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Love Confessions, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Movie Night, Sharing a Bed, Sleeping Together, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-18
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-06-30 14:01:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19854682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robotrolecall/pseuds/robotrolecall
Summary: Nicholas goes to Danny's apartment to watch a buddy cop film, reminisces on his past behaviors, and realizes how gay he is.





	1. Turning off the Switch

“You’re telling me you’ve never seen _The Blues Brothers?_ ” 

“Yes,” the short, blond-haired chief inspector mumbled as he kicked his feet up onto the water-stained coffee table.

“Do you at least know who the hell John Belushi and Dan Akyroyd are?” the heavyset, dark-haired police sergeant queried as his hands fumbled to insert the worn VHS tape into the VCR. The label on the tape looked like it was either sweat off or was torn; the adhesive, or lack of, was being reflected by the distant kitchen light in the sergeant’s flat. 

“I was just about to say that they were best friends, Danny.”

“So you know that but have never seen a _lick_ of the film they starred in?” Danny Butterman queried. Despite his surprise in Nicholas’ small knowledge of movies, he was deeply warmed by his knowledge of the two comedians’ close friendship. Nicholas Angel scrunched his face up, embarrassed by his memories of workaholism.

“Admittedly,” he began. “I was so immersed in my job that I... did not have any other hobbies. You know this already.” he was now sitting with his arms wrapped around his legs, his head craned over. He was visibly upset.

 _Well,_ Nicholas thought to himself. _This is a piss poor way to start movie night._

“Nick,” he heard Danny Butterman call out, though his voice was muffled. Nicholas felt sick to his stomach, worried that Danny would be disappointed in him. 

_I don’t want a repeat of what happened with Janine._

“Nicholas!” Butterman called out again, nudging his partner. Nicholas squeezed his calves with his hands nervously. He could barely feel or see Danny trying to console him. His mind raced, tormenting him with thoughts that he was going to let down his loved ones.

_“Nicholas Angel, do you hear me—”_

_“Danny, I don’t want to let you down.”_ Nicholas blurted out. His voice was soft and vulnerable. 

Danny blinked, confused. He didn’t feel that way about Nicholas at _all._

“Angel,” he had addressed his partner by his last name. “You told me that you were a professional fencer, cycler, runner, and everything under the sun! Those _are_ hobbies.” Danny felt his body overcome with affection but could not pinpoint exactly why. Nicholas, after hearing Danny’s comforting words, lowered his knees and was back to using the coffee table as an ottoman. 

“I think what you’re trying to say is that you’ve never really lazed about.” He took Nicholas’ sweaty hand and massaged it using his thumb, easing the tension built up in it. 

“It’s no pressure, ‘kay? I can only imagine how tough the transition is from your previous lifestyle. Take your time. It’s okay to be a couch potato every once in a while.” Nicholas slowly turned his head to Danny. He couldn’t help but smile like an idiot seeing his face. Danny’s smile was contagious and his dark brown eyes were that of a puppy dog’s: oozing with unconditional love. 

“Thank you, Danny.” Nicholas heaved a sigh of relief, his worries washed away through a single breath.

“Now, get that VCR running. I wanna see what this _Blues Brothers_ movie’s all about.”


	2. Say The Word

It was now one-thirty in the morning and the film was already on the last act. Danny Butterman and Nicholas Angel had spent the first and second acts snacking on crisps and chugging cans of beer, laughing through their bellies. Danny adored Nicholas’ attempt at singing "Soul Man," shocked at how he knew the song by heart. 

“I had heard this somewhere,” Nicholas explained. He soon remembered that he _did_ watch _The Blues Brothers,_ but had been ages since the last time he did. Empty bags of snack-size crisps and crushed cans of beer lined the coffee table. Nicholas curled up in a fluffy blanket and yawned loudly. 

“Wan’ me t’clean up th’mess?” His voice was slurred due to exhaustion. The two friends both made sure to drink responsibly and limited themselves to two cans of beer each. 

“I got it. You look exhausted. You want me to turn off the movie?” asked Danny. 

“No, keep it on. I’ll be awake.” 

“Alright.” Danny rose from the couch, scooping up the trash and throwing it into the bin. He walked back and resumed lounging. At this point, Nicholas was trying to decipher what was going on in the film, but his vision was blurred. He yawned again as he leaned up against Danny’s shoulder. He took a deep breath as he made himself comfortable, curling up into a little ball. He felt his cheeks grow hot. Danny smelled of shower gel and cologne. 

_He must’ve showered before I came by,_ Nicholas thought. Judging by the smell, which reminded him of the scented candles named “Midsummer’s Night” or something along the lines, it was on the “cheaper” side. Nicholas couldn’t help but be comforted by the smell. It felt like warm, gentle kisses to him. Not hugs, but kisses. He wanted to just be kissed by the scent, and by extension, kissed by Danny. Because Danny alone was wearing it, the cologne was worth more than anything else in the world. 

After a few minutes, Nicholas dozed off, with a look of content on his face. Right as a major moment occurred in the movie, Danny turned to Nicholas, wanting to explain something to him. He was surprised by seeing his friend sleeping beside him. It reminded him of when they had first watched buddy cop films at his place, where they fell asleep watching _Bad Boys II._ Danny grinned at his slumbering friend. He quietly got up one last time to switch off the television and VCR. He returned to the couch and nudged Nicholas gently. 

“Nick, wake up. I’m about to go to sleep,” he murmured. He wouldn’t budge. Nicholas was out cold. Danny couldn’t help but gaze at him lovingly. 

_He looks like an angel…_ Danny beamed. _Wait a minute—Angel. Nicholas Angel!_ Danny’s eyes widened.

He had realized why he felt so warm and fuzzy before: he called Nicholas a pet name. 

“Angel,” he whispered as he lifted Nicholas, slinging him over his shoulder. 

“Mmmm…” Nicholas mumbled, slowly blinking his eyes. Ignoring the fact that he was being carried, he abruptly asked: 

“...Did y’call me ‘Angel?’. 

Danny blushed as he walked slowly to the door of his room. “Perhaps.”

“Keep calling me Angel, Danny.”

_It feels like you’re giving me kisses when you do. The ones that are so light you just keep wanting more._ Nicholas’ thoughts were as clear as day. 

He loved Danny. And Danny loved him.

“I won’t stop calling you that unless you tell me to.” Danny creaked the door open, flipped on the light switch and gently placed Nicholas on his bed. He was still wrapped in the blanket, which had Danny’s cologne all over it. 

“I’ll be right back. I’m going to brush my teeth.” Danny said quickly. 

The bathroom was a few steps away. Despite the much-needed furniture overhaul, Danny’s home was decently lavish. His bedroom was like a master bedroom, containing a master bathroom and a relatively small walk-in closet. 

“Wait, Danny,” Nicholas interjected quickly. He got up and walked to the bathroom gingerly, leaving the blanket on the bed. 

“Yes, Angel?” He said, his mouth full of toothpaste. His voice echoed down the narrow hall. Nicholas could hear Danny spit into the sink, rinsing his mouth with the sink water. 

“Can I spend the night here?” Nicholas was in the space between the bathroom doorway and the hall leading to the bedroom.

“Yes.” He answered shortly after, wiping his lips with a small towel. 

“You need clothes? It’s not comfortable to sleep in a dress shirt and dress pants.” Danny teased lightly. He had worn pajamas under the impression Nicholas would come by wearing something comfortable. He thought him being a bit overdressed was endearing. It’s like he was dressing to go on a date.

“I have a spare toothbrush you can use as well. It’s in the cabinet. Did you shower before coming here?”

“Yes, I did.” Nicholas nodded. He appreciated Danny’s generosity immensely, for it was a quality of him that he admired. He reached for the cabinet handle, swung it open, and immediately saw the unopened toothbrush. He grabbed it and quickly ripped through the wrapping, throwing the plastic container into the trash. 

“Stay right there, I’m gonna grab you some nightclothes.” Danny walked out of the bathroom to one of his drawers. As Nicholas finished brushing his teeth, he saw Danny place a pile of clothing onto the open space of the bathroom counter. 

“Thank you, Danny.” Nicholas wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt. Normally he wouldn’t do this, but since he was changing into something else, he decided to 'laze around' for a hot minute. 

Danny chuckled. “Don’t mention it.” He exited the bathroom once more, closing the door behind him. 


	3. Confessional at Dusk

Nicholas looked at himself in the mirror. He was completely flushed, yet at the same time, he felt like he could be tender and touchy-feely with Danny like it was the norm. It was what he was looking for. He unbuttoned his white dress shirt and picked up the tee-shirt Danny had given him. It was much bigger than the shirts he would normally wear. He realized he had given him one of his shirts to sleep in. Nicholas then unbuttoned his black pants. He sported red checkered boxers. He threw his clothes into the hamper, already keeping in mind to wash them the next morning. 

As he pulled Danny’s shirt over him, he noticed how baggy it was. It felt comfortable. He had taken note of how it smelled like Danny unless it was his mind replicating the smell of his shirt that he formerly was resting on. Either way, it felt like the greatest affections ever imaginable to him. It enveloped him in safety and security. Nicholas stumbled out of the bathroom, exhausted and eager to sleep beside Danny. He was so tired he had forgotten that Danny gave him a pair of sweatpants to sleep in. As he walked into the hall he saw Danny laying on his bed, his pillow propped up as he relaxed with his hands on the back of his head. A fan on the nightstand blew in his direction. There was a digital alarm clock on the nightstand closest to Danny. Two fifteen in the morning. 

“Cheeky bastard, huh?” Danny smirked as he blew his brown hair out of his face. Nicholas blinked. He quickly glanced down. No pants. 

“Don’t even say a word.” Danny placed his index finger up to his lips, silently shushing. 

“I—”

“I know you _don’t_ have your nob out!” Danny laughed heartily. 

Nicholas was blushing again. There he was, standing on the side of the bed, wearing nothing but Danny’s baggy, cheap cologne scented tee shirt and checkered boxers underneath. 

“You look cute.” Danny cooed. 

“If I move in with you I can walk around the flat like this if it strikes your fancy...” Nicholas tilted his neck to the side, his left hand on his cheek, attempting to be flirty by elongating the _‘y’_ sound and raising the pitch of his voice. 

“You’re getting me excited now, Nick! Come to bed.” Danny laughed, his face reddening slightly. 

“Alright.”

Nicholas rolled himself onto Danny’s bed. It was surprisingly comfortable—Plush, yet cool to the touch. Danny turned his body to face Nicholas, who was laying on his stomach. 

“Got one of those cooling gel mattress toppers. I’ve been sleeping better ever since.” He explained. 

“Now that you’re here, though…” his voice trailed off. 

“Hm?” Nicholas asked, turning to his side. 

“Come a little closer to me and I’ll tell you, Angel,” he teased. 

Nicholas virtually melted at the sound of Danny calling him ‘Angel.’ He loved it more than anything else in the world, aside from the cologne he wore. Without hesitation, he moved closer to Danny. The fan, in conjunction with the mattress topper, made his skin riddled with goosebumps. They were now facing one another, only a few inches apart. 

“Come again, love?”

“Now that you’re here, I think I’m going to have the best sleep I’ve ever had in my life, Angel.” He purred, as he rolled over from his side to rest on his back. He noticed Nicholas mildly chattering. The air conditioning was on, for it was a grueling and humid summer evening, but he had no idea _how_ cold it was in his room. But he also knew that he liked sleeping in a cold room: he remembered Nicholas telling him that whenever he would sleep in, it was already thirty degrees Celsius outside. 

“Come here, Angel. I’ll keep you warm.” He said gently, lifting his blanket. This blanket was rather thin to compensate for the heat but to also provide a sense of comfort. Danny, nor Nicholas enjoyed sleeping without a blanket. 

“Can we use this one?” Nicholas asked shyly, pointing to the fluffy blanket at the edge of the bed. 

“I don't see why not. Any particular reason?”

Nicholas hesitated. 

“No, just the texture of it is nice.”

_And because it smells like you._

Nicholas heard Danny squeak in laughter. 

“You think I smell that nice?”

Nicholas’s eyes widened. “ _Fuck._ I thought out loud, didn’t I?” He avoided making eye contact with Danny, ashamed. 

Danny sat up and nabbed the blanket. 

“You notice all these details about me,” he said, draping Nicholas’s favorite blanket over the both of them.

“It’s so endearing. It makes me feel wanted if I’m being honest here.” He returned to resting on his back. He frowned seeing Nicholas writhe with embarrassment, and he rubbed his partner’s chin with his thumb. 

“I feel wanted when I’m with you, my lily.” Nicholas murmured as he enveloped himself in the blanket. He moved his eyes back to making eye contact with Danny, soothed by his touch.

“Lily?” He raised his brows. 

“That’s quite a nickname.” He said, the edges of his lips curling as he tried to restrain smiling from ear to ear. He was worried that he would come off as too “fruity,” but he was around _Nicholas Angel_ of all people. There was _nothing_ for him to be concerned about. 

“It’s because I had given you a peace lily, remember? It was my way of saying…" he paused, unsure if his declaration would be detrimental.

"I love you.” 

Danny turned to his side and placed a hand on the investigator’s cheek. He kissed him on the lips tenderly, slowly pulling back to digest what had happened. 


	4. A Pillow of Winds

“Angel, you still feel so cold.” he breathed a layer of concern in his voice.

“My heart is hot and fiery, but my hands sure aren’t. My God, I’m so tired. But I want you to kiss me more, so much more.” Nicholas yearned. 

“Tomorrow, baby. I promise. You need to get some rest.” Danny uttered cautiously.

_Please call me that again!_ Nicholas monologued. His face grew red hot after being called another pet name. 

“Was the kiss…?” Nicholas trailed off, worried that it was a mindless kiss.

“It was my way of saying ‘I love you too.’ I felt like I had to do it, otherwise, my Angel would've flown away.” 

“And I didn’t want my lily to wilt,” Nicholas whispered secretively, even though his feelings were an open secret. 

“Angel,” Danny enunciated slowly. 

“Yes, my lily?” Nicholas answered with utmost confidence. 

“You’re gonna be freezing your arse off. Let me be your pillow.” 

Nicholas blinked in confusion once again. 

“Sleep on my chest tonight.” 

_ And every night after.  _ Danny moved his pillow, allowing him to lean his back on the headboard of the bed. 

Another wave of serenity expelled the leftover tension Nicholas had in his body. 

“That sounds like heaven. We can spoon, too.” 

“Ah, _shite._ You heard me think out loud?” 

“Maybe I did. That makes us even.” Nicholas snickered, the air suddenly exiting his nostrils. Afterward, he looked around aimlessly, trying to decipher a way to cuddle with Danny. 

_ Was it this complicated?  _ He thought to himself.  _ I fell asleep so easily before…  _

“Don’t be shy, Angel. You looked very comfortable sleeping beside me forty-five minutes ago.” Danny reminded to Nicholas. 

Nicholas shook his head, snapping himself out of confusion. 

“Right.” 

Using his right arm he elevated himself and leaned his upper body onto Danny’s chest, turning his head to the side as he relaxed. He wrapped an arm around the larger man, squeezing him tightly. He closed his eyes and felt Danny’s arm securely at his side. He listened to the former chief constable’s heartbeat while inhaling and exhaling slowly. Butterman’s cologne filled Nicholas’s lungs, and his slow, metronome-like heartbeat made him drowsy.

“You’re like a big teddy bear.” Nicholas's voice was muffled as he nuzzled Danny's chest. He unexpectedly started to giggle. 

“What’re you doing? That tickles!”

“Just running my fingers down your back,” Danny answered straightforwardly. 

“Keep doing that then. It feels good.” 

Danny nodded his head, continuing to caress Nicholas.

They gazed into each other’s eyes lovingly, not wanting to look away even for a second. Nicholas just wanted to stare at his lover for eternity. He wanted to kiss him. So badly. After not even two minutes of staring, he kissed Danny deeply on the lips and momentarily pulled away, wiping sweat from his brow. 

“Angel…” Danny repeated amorously. 

“I love you very much.”

“I love you more, my lily.” 

_ Well, that kiss awoke something in me.  _ He resumed laying his head on Danny’s torso, replicating his slow and deep breaths before the kiss. 

Noticing the chief investigator’s breathing, he synchronized his breaths with him. He then rocked his boyfriend back and forth slowly, craning his head to touch noses with him. The two shared a small fit of guffaws as they hugged one another tightly. After the laughter died down, they cuddled in silence. They were cooled by the fan blowing fresh wind into their faces. The table lamp was still lit, the warm honey lighting illuminating their faces. Nicholas grew somnolent as he placed his hand on Danny's heart. The clock struck two forty-five in the morning, almost three. 

“Nicholas, my Angel…” Danny whispered delicately. 

“I’m going to turn off the light, is that okay?”

No answer. 

“Nicholas?” Danny’s voice has a tinge of worry, frowning. 

He looked down slowly, and his upset ceased. Nicholas fell asleep cradled in the cologne scented blanket, entwined in Danny’s embrace. 

“You certainly are an angel, aren’t you?” He reached for the light switch of the table lamp and shut it off. 

“Sleep soundly, my love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I literally have been working on this fic for days now. I started this fic late at night after watching Hot Fuzz for the second or third time. Let's just say I'm obsessed and adore Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this story! Please leave a comment below and tell me what you think.


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